Hyderabad/New Delhi, Jun 25 (IANS): The Telangana government on Thursday urged the Centre to step up its efforts to get the UNESCO heritage tag for the famous Ramappa temple located at Palampet village in Mulugu district.

A high-level delegation led by state Tourism and Culture Minister, Dr V. Srinivas Goud on Thursday met senior officers of Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the Director General of Archaeological Survey of India in New Delhi.

A team of UNESCO officials had inspected the historic Ramappa Temple in 2019.

The delegation has requested for speeding up of restoration works at Ramappa and the thousand-pillar temple of Warangal.

It also discussed pending sanctions for the state in the Culture Ministry.

The officers of ASI were requested to take up the development works of monuments and forts in the state and proposals of upgradation, refurbishment and renovation of museums in Warangal, Hyderabad, and Karimnagar.

The delegation has requested speedy disposal of shifting the Golkonda sound and light show from the existing place to new panoramic view of the fort, and central financial assistance for development of cultural complexes in the state under "Tagore Cultural Complex" Scheme.

After the formation of Telangana state, the ministry had accepted extending financial assistance for renovation of Karimnagar Museum and revised DPRs are submitted for approval.

The minister also requested the officers of Ministry of Culture and the ASI for the rare antiques and artifacts shifted from Nagarjuna Sagar museum to be brought back to the state and assured the state support for building world class museum in Hyderabad to showcase these.

The delegation also included state ministers Errabelli Dayakar Rao and Satyavathi Rathod and MPs MPs Banda Prakash and Kavitha Maloth.

Later, Srinivas Goud submitted a memorandum to Tourism Secretary Arvind Singh for approval of new projects under Swadesh Darshan Scheme. Further, the minister requested for sanctioning two projects under Prasad scheme for development of Sri Venkateshwara Swami Temple, Manyam Konda with Rs 50.1 crore and Sri Sitarama Swami Temple at Badrachalam with Rs 50 crore.

He also requested for upgradation of the sound and light show and creation of World Class Interpretation Center at Golkonda Fort, which attracts large number of international tourists.